Efforts to take Durham Tees Valley Airport back into public ownership have moved one step closer to fruition.

Ben Houchen , who is marking his first year in office as Tees Valley mayor, was today announcing the signing of a “non-disclosure agreement” with Peel, the majority owners of the airport .

Despite only being a technicality, the non-disclosure agreement signals talks over ownership of the airport have entered a more delicate and advanced stage.

Mr Houchen made the bold pledge to take the airport back into public hands during his election campaign in 2017.

The Conservative leader of the “combined authority”, which includes Middlesbrough, Stockton, Redcar and Cleveland, Hartlepool and Darlington councils, has held informal talks with Peel for the past 12 months.

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Alongside developments at the airport, the Metro Mayor’s speech will include the launch of a £15m investment fund for small businesses and details of a trade mission to the Far East due in two weeks’ time.

A £3m schools career advice service for 11 to 18-year-olds is also on the cards to link up the region’s 57 secondary schools with businesses.

Durham Tees Valley Airport (Image: Evening Gazette)

He will also reveal how five sites in the Tees Valley have now been earmarked as potentially viable for a garden town of 10,000 houses.

A special meeting of the Tees Valley Combined Authority will discuss the future of the airport behind closed doors on Monday (May 14).